BV 

4424 

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C34 

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X  CALL 


FEMALE   DIACONATE 


'•ID    OV    Tills 


MARY    J.  DREXEL    HOMF 


PHII^DEI-PHIA 
MOTHERHOUSE    OF    DEACONESSES 


1908 


V  4424  .1.U  ^j4  1908 


iA  call  to  the  female 

'"'  Hiaponate  issued  by  the 


^^v  OF  pmcifs;^ 


i4AR    vo  1S99 


^fO(06ICAl  SE>>^ 


A 


A    ('A  M. 


I'M:  MALI-:    1)1  A  cox  AT  10 


IXHIKH     IIV     Tl 


MAKY    .1.    I)K»KXKL    HOMK 


IMI  ILAI)i:iJMI  I  A 

:ii(niiEHii()i  SI-:  :)f   dkacoxessks 


PH  IKADKLIMI  I  A.  PA. 


PHII,AI)KI.PHIA  : 

Press  of  StiS(|ii(.-1iaiuia   PrinliiiK  Co..  IMI-IS  N.irtli    Tiiitli  Slref-t 
19<)8 


^RV  OF  PHlNCefi 
MAR   JO  1999 


To  THK  Rkai)i:k  : 

of  the  many  activities  of  the  Church,  none  seems  to  be  less  known  and 
more  {generally  misiimlerstood  than  the  I"emale  Diaconate.  Persons  inter- 
ested in  this  work  for  years,  have  told  the  writer  that  they  know  little  or 
nothing  about  it.  To  the  previous  efforts  of  our  IMotherhouse,  the  present 
publication  is  added  in  the  hope  of  giving  the  desired  information  and  of 
creating  a  sincere  desire  among  the  young  women  of  our  church  to  conse- 
crate themselves  to  the  Lord  in  this  cause. 

The  call  for  deaconesses  conies  to  our  Motherhtjuse  from  congregations, 
institutions  and  ^fission  Boards,  but  it  will  be  impossible  to  enter  new 
fielils  of  labor  before  our  Sisterhood  has  been  materially  increased.  Our 
present  work  makes  greater  demands  than  in  former  years  ;  we  need  more 
sisters  for  our  hospitals  and  especialh'  for  our  schools.  In  Germany  not  a 
few  public  school  teachers  and  others  of  superior  education  are  among  the 
candidates  for  the  Diaconate.  Are  the  young  women  of  our  Church  in  this 
country  less  devoted  to  the  Lord,  less  ready  to  consecrate  their  life  and 
talents  to  His  cause  ?  We  believe  not,  and  trust  future  developments 
will  justify  this  faith. 

When  parents  begin  to  realize  the  great  opportunities  for  their  daugh- 
ters in  the  Diaconate,  and  pastors  rejoice  to  see  one  or  more  of  the  young 
women  they  have  been  permitted  to  train  for  good  work  in  their  own  con- 
gregation, enter  the  larger  field  of  activity,  the  Sisterhood  will  rapidly 
increase  and  by  its  service  in  institutional  and  congregational  activities, 
prove  a  ten-fold  blessing  to  the  Church. 

There  are  many  flevout  and  capable  young  women  waiting  for  the  call 

of  the    Lord    to  special   service.       Here    is    the   call.     May    they   respond 

promptly,   for  the  King's  business  requires  haste  ! 

K.  !•'.  li. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Palm  Sunday,  1908. 


THL   5CRIPTURAL   bASlS. 


The  I'ciiialc  Diaconatc  is  one  of  the  natural  results  of  the 
development  of  the  Church,  i^ven  apart  from  the  Scriptural 
evidence  of  this  oflicc  in  Ai)ostolic  days,  the  settinj(  apart  of 
Christian  \v(»men  for  the  visiting  of  the  ])oor.  the  nursing  of  the 
sick,  the  caring  for  the  aged,  and  the  training  of  the  young,  is 
fully  justilied  and  in  coiniilete  harmony  with  the  s])irit  of  the 
(lospel.  A  church  intliftcrent  to  the  ])hysical  distros  of  her 
memhers  cannot  he  tnir  \<>  her  Master,  whtj  fed  the  hungry, 
healed  the  sick  and  comfortt-d  the  sorrowing.  The  Apostles,  as 
a  matter  of  course,  assumed  the  jjcrsonal  responsihility  for  the 
distrihution  of  food  to  the  needy  of  the  congregation,  until  their 
manifold  duties  as  spiritual  leaders  made  it  im])ossihle  to  meet 
the  situation  to  the  satisfaction  of  all.  "Then  the  Twelve  called 
the  multitude  of  the  disciples  unto  then;  and  said  :  It  is  not  rea>on 
that  we  should  leave  tlie  Word  of  God  and  serve  tahles.  W'here- 
fore.  hrethren,  look  ye  out  among  you  seven  men  of  honest  re- 
port, full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint 
over  this  business,  but  we  will  give  ourselves  continually  to 
prayer,  rfnd  to  the  ministry  of  the  WOrd"  (Acts  0  :  2-4).  The 
office  of  the  diac(Miate.  to  which  the  Seven  were  publicly  set  apart 
by  i:)rayer  and  the  laying  on  of  hands,  was  the  result.  We  have 
no  reason  to  doubt  that  this  exami^le  was  generally  followed  by 
the  whole  Church.  St.  Paul  gives  Timothy  further  instructions 
as  to  the  qualification.s  of  deacons  (  i  Tim.  3  :  8-13  ).  and  even  of 
deaconesses,  if  the  view  of  some  of  the  best  liible  scholars  is 
correct,  that  ver.se  11  refers  not  to  the  "wives"  of  the  deacons, 
but  simply  to  "women."  as  the  Revised  \'ersion  literally  trans- 
lates this  passage.  That  wt)men  held  such  office  is  evident  from 
Rom.  16  :  I.  where  St.  Paul  commends  to  the  Church  at  Rome: 
"IMiebe,  which  is  a  servant  (Cireek:  diakoiios)  of  the  Church 
which  is  at  Cenchrea."  He  gives  her  the  testimonial,  that  "she 
hath  been  a  succourer  of  many,  and  of  myself  also."  Thus 
Phebe,  the  first  deaconess  known  by  name,  is  in  her  humble  min- 
istrations a  noble  example  to  every  Christian  woman :  and  by 
delivering  this  great  epistle  to  the  Romans,  has  deserved  the  last- 
ing gratitude  of  C'hristentlom.  The  term  "iliaconate"  has  become 
the  fixed  designation  for  the  mini>tration-  of  l'hri>tian  li^ve  under 
the  direction  of  tiie  L'hurch. 

•5) 


A   BRILF   HISTORY. 


IX    Till*    ANCII-:XT    CUTRCH. 

While  the  deacons  became  ever  more  prominent  oflficials  in  the 
early  Church,  ultimately  no  longer  "serving  tables."  the  dea- 
conesses remained  within  the  original  sphere  of  the  office,  and 
in  many  ways  humbly  served  under  the  supervision  of  the  bishop 
or  jiastor.  A  most  interesting  proof  of  the  general  ad(»pti<>n  of 
the  Female  Diaconate  by  the  congregations  is  found  in  an  offi- 
cial communication  l)y  I'liny,  (^jovernor  of  the  Roman  province 
Bithynia,  in  Asia  Minor,  reporting  to  the  Emperor  Trajanus 
(A.  D.  98-117)  the  result  of  liis  attempt  to  learn  some  real  facts 
about  this  mysterious  "sect."  the  Christians,  whom  he  had  been 
instructed  to  persecute.  "In  order  to  get  at  the  truth  of  the 
matter."  he  writes.  "I  deemed  it  necessary  to  put  to  the  rack  two 
maids,  called  by  the  Christians  diacoiiissac :  but  I  was  unable  to 
gel  anything  out  of  them,  save  a  most  corrupt  and  boundless 
superstition."  In  the  "Constitutions  of  the  Holy  .\postles."  parts 
of  which  date  back  to  the  third  century,  repeated  mention  is 
n-ade  of  deaconesses,  their  form  of  consecration  is  given  and 
their  duties  are  outlined.  Owing  to  the  oriental  custom  of  strict 
separation  between  men  and  women,  the  deaconesses  were  almost 
indispensable  mediators  between  the  women  and  the  clergy. 
Chrysostom.  the  celebrated  bishop  of  Constantinople  (397-407). 
had  more  than  one  hundred  deacons  and  forty  deaconesses  to 
assist  in  providing  for  the  jioor  of  the  city,  .\mong  these  f<:>rty 
was  Olympias.  a  wealthy  young  widow  of  noble  birth,  who  in 
order  to  become  a  deaconess,  refused  the  Emperor's  offer  to  give 
her  in  marriage  to  his  nephew,  a  young  army  officer.  But  already 
the  Female  I^iaconate  began  to  lose  gr<nnid,  especially  in  the 
Western  Church,  where  the  women  could  freely  meet  their  pas- 
tors. The  chief  cause  for  its  final  extinction,  however,  was  tlie 
decline  of  the  Evangelical  faith  in  the  Church  and  the  conse- 
quent rise  of  monastic  orders,  .\bout  1000  .\.  O.  the  Female 
Diaconate  was  a  tiling  of  the  past. 

'7) 


FROM    THK    RKFORMATION    TO    FLIHDXKR. 

The  Refoniiation  of  the  X\'I.  century  gave  the  (i()S])cl  back 
to  the  Cliurch  and  thereby  made  tlie  revival  of  this  truly  Kvan- 
gelical  office  possible.  Luther  recognized  the  blessing  of  such 
consecrated  service,  but  was  too  busy  in  other  directions  to  seri- 
ously consider  the  introduction  of  the  deaconess  into  the  Evan- 
gelical Church.  "\\  omen  who  love  godliness,  generally  have  the 
special  grace  to  comfort  others  and  to  soothe  their  pains."  Hut 
he  also  adds :  "We  have  not  the  necessary  persons  for  such  an 
office.  Therefore,  I  will  not  trust  myself  to  begin  it  until  our 
Lord  God  makes  real  Christians."  In  the  Reformed  Church 
attempts  were  made  at  various  times  and  places  to  re-establish 
this  office,  but  with  no  permanent  success.  God  has  TTis  own 
time  for  everything,  and  in  His  unsearchable  wisdom  He  waited 
until  the  XIX.  century,  and  selected  as  His  chosen  instrument 
for  the  revival  of  the  Female  Diaconate  a  humble  and  most 
zealous  young  pastor  at  Kaiserswert  on  the  Rhine.  Theodore 
Fliedner.  The  few  Protestant  families  in  this  Roman  Catholic 
town  were  unable  to  support  a  church ;  the  government  was  al- 
ready considering  the  advisability  of  dissolving  this  congrega- 
tion ;  they  even  offered  Miedner,  who  received  a  salary  of  only 
one  hundred  and  eighty  thalers  a  year,  and  who  had  his  widowed 
mother  and  her  other  children  depending  on  him  for  support, 
another  charge.  In  the  face  of  these  desperate  circumstances, 
Fliedner  gave  evidence  of  his  future  greatness.  With  a  faith 
that  moves  mountains  he  carried  out  his  jilan.  and  in  1823  went 
to  Holland,  even  to  P^ngland,  to  raise  the  funds  necessary  to  save 
hi:>  congregaticMi.  Like  Saul  (  i  Sam.  9),  he  found  more  than  he 
had  sought.  His  faithfulness  in  a  matter  of  minor  importance 
qualified  him  for  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  blessed  tasks  of 
modern  Christianity.  In  both  countries  he  came  in  touch  with 
men  and  institutions  that  greatly  strengthened  his  own  faith  and 
opened  his  eyes  to  the  ])ossibilities  of  a  faith  working  by  love. 
The  institutions  of  mercy  for  the  care  of  body  and  soul  made  a 
lasting  impression  on  him,  that  brought  forth  fruit  a  hundredfold. 
On  his  return,  he  directed  his  enthusiasm  first  to  the  .study  of 
social  evils,  es])ecially  to  those  of  the  pristMi  in  the  neighboring 
city  of  Duesseldorf.  His  request  to  be 'locked  up  with  the  prison- 
ers for  a  month,  in  order  to  live  with  iheni  and  learn  by  j^ersonal 
experiejice,  was  denied  him  by  the  authorities;  but  he  was  grate- 
ful for  the  privilege  granted  to  have  a  religious  service  with  them 
every  other  Sunday  afternoon  and  meet  them  individually  as 
their  spiritual  adviser.  In  June.  i<Sj6.  he  organized  the  Rhenish- 
Westplialian  Prison  Society,  which  still  exists  and  has  been  most 


succcs.sful  ill  iiitrtxlucinj,'  ri'f<)riii>  by  tin.-  ^incT'    '' ■  « •iM-ratioii  of 
the  Prussian  king,  Frederick  William  I\'. 

PRELIMINARY   STKPS. 

i'lic'iliK-r's  |»ris(tii  work  was  inerely  aiiotlier  unciinsci«»u>  >tep 
towards  tlu-  l"emale  Diaconate.  What  can  be  done  with  (Hs- 
charged  ])risoners.  especially  women,  who  desire  to  lead  a  new 
life?  was  one  of  the  most  i)eri)lexing  questions.  The  Prison 
Society  resolved  to  found  an  asylum  for  them,  but  no  one  knew 
how  nor  where.  l''iiially  hliedner  oi)ened  his  own  home  for  this 
pur])ose.  His  wife  nobly  assisted  him.  She  was  not  merely  a 
remarkable  woman,  but  also  came  into  this  work  in  a  remark- 
able way.  Fliedner  had  fir>t  endeavored  to  gain  her  as  matron 
for  female  prisoners,  but  her  parents  protested.  Later,  in  1828, 
she  became  his  wife,  and  as  such  was  the  first  matron  or  Sister 
Superior  of  a  Deaconess  Motherhouse.  In  Sejitember.  18^^^.  the 
first  inmate  arrived,  and  at  the  same  time  a  friend  of  I-Miedner's 
wife.  Katharine  (ioe])el.  to  take  sjiecial  charge  of  this  work. 
r.dth  moved  into  the  little  garden-house,  still  standing  in  the  rear 
of  the  paxsonage.  a  stone  structure  with  but  one  room  ab*mt  10 
feet  square,  and  a  small  attic,  that  could  be  entered  only  by  means 
of  a  ladder  from  the  outside.  This  attic  was  the  bed-r(K)m  of 
the  ex-])risoner.  who  soon  shared  it  with  another  girl,  while  the 
matron  occupied  the  room  below.  This  temi)orary  arrangement, 
forced  u])on  them  by  sheer  necessity,  has  made  this  garden-house 
the  cradle  of  the  great  work  now  carried  on  by  that  first  and 
largest  Motherhouse  of  Deaconesses.  In  1835  another  now  prom- 
itient  work  was  begim  in  that  same  house — a  school  for  little 
children.  To-day  Kaiserswert  has  54  Sisters  in  Kindergarten 
work,  while  26  are  heliiing  fallen  women  and  ex-prisoners  to 
return  ti)  a  life  of  virtue. 

THE   FIRST   MOTHERHOUSE. 

P>y  thi>  time  I'liedner  was  fully  convinced  that  >uch  w(»rks 
of  mercy  could  be  carried  on  successfully  only  by  devoted  women 
proi)erly  trained,  .\inong  the  Mennonites  in  Holland  he  had 
found  women  belonging  to  the  best  families,  elected  by  the  Church 
Council  of  their  congregati«Mi  as  deaconesses,  assisting  the  sick, 
the  poor  and  any  others  in  need  of  comisel  or  aid.  lie  at  once 
recognized  the  Scri]itural  foundation  and  practical  value  of  such 
an  institution  employing  the  peculiar  gift>  "f  woman.  "How 
unjust  and  unwise  are,  therefore,  the  other  I'.vangelical  Churches 
in  not  a■^■^igning  to  their  women  a  -pecific  -^iivice  in  the  care  of 


10 

the  female  poor,  sick  and  prisoners  I  I  low  many  \V(jmen.  widows, 
especially  jjastors'  widows  and  older  virgins,  wonld  thereby  have 
a  new  and  charming  held  opened  up  to  them  in  drying  the  tears 
of  misery  and  in  reconciling  fallen  women  to  their  Saviour  and 
to  the  world,  which  without  a  specific  call  is  largely  forbidden 
them  by  the  restrictions  of  womanly  modesty."  Thus  he  wrote 
in  1 83 1.  Others  had  preceded  him  in  expressing  the  desire  for 
the  revival  of  the  Female  Diaconate,  as  Pastor  Johann  Adolph 
Kloenne  in  an  essay  published  1820.  and  the  noble  Count  von  der 
Recke  \"olmerstein.  In  1835  the  idea  was  heartily  endorsed  by 
Frederick  William  1\'..  who  wrote:  "The  revival  of  this  ofifice 
has  been  a  cherished  ideal  with  me  for  many  years,  for  I  am 
confident  that  it  is  one  of  the  many  things  which  our  Church 
communion  really  needs  and  lacks."  Still  no  one  ventured  to 
make  the  beginning ;  but  when  Fliedner.  after  imploring  in  vain 
several  men  of  greater  prominence  to  uuflertake  this  work,  found 
the  issue  forced  upon  himself,  he  faltered  not.  By  an  act  of 
heroic  faith  he  bought  a  large  and  suitable  house  in  Kaiserswerth 
for  2300  thalers,  though  at  the  time  he  had  not  a  penny  in  hand. 
The  house  was  opened  on  October  13.  1836,  as  a  hospital,  and  the 
first  patient  admitted  w-as  a  Roman  Catholic  servant.  Gertrude 
Reichardt,  a  physician's  daughter,  entered  as  the  first  deaconess. 
To-day  Kaiserswerth  is  still  at  the  head  of  all  the  Motherhouses, 
with  its  1242  Sisters  in  310  fields  of  labor  in  Germany  and  in 
the  Orient. 

The  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  Kaiserswert  in  1861  was 
marked  by  the  organization  of  a  General  Conference  of  Dea- 
coness Motherhouses  for  friendly  consultation.  This  realized  one 
of  Fliedner's  fondest  ambitions.  Three  years  later  he  was  per- 
mitted to  enter  untn  hi--  rot  and  lii>  reward.  lUit  tlii>  confer- 
ence still  meets  every  three  years,  and  now  numbers  84.  Mother- 
houses  in  FurojK'  and  .America,  and  about  18,500  Sisters  in  more 
than  6f»50  fields  of  labor. 

LOEHE'S   INFLUENCE. 

Of  the  nian\-  men  of  (  "k id  who  fdllowed  I'liedner's  example, 
none  is  of  greater  interest  to  us  than  W  illKlm  Lobe,  who  in  1837 
became  pa'^tor  at  Xeuendettelsau,  in  liavaria.  .\  luan  of  deepest 
personal  piety,  of  great  learning,  of  the  strictest  type  of  Luther- 
anism  and  of  broadest  sympathies,  he  greatly  enriched  the  Fe- 
male Diaconate,  when  in  1854  he  founded  the  Motherhouse  at 
Neuendettelsau  and  became  its  first  pastor.  His  remarkable 
originality  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  simply  adopt  Fliedner's 
ideas    an<l    methods;    his    Iriftv    ideals,    his    strict    adherence    to 


II 

cluirchly  forms,  lii>  arli>lic  IcinpcraiiK-iit.  hi>  m»iih.|  practical 
soiisi'  and  his  tireless  onerj^y  have  j,'ivcM  to  his  Motherhouse  a 
peculiar  excellence  that  still  is  a  .source  of  hle-sing  to  the  entire 
cause.  1  lere  perhajjs  more  than  elsewhere  the  ideal  of  a  thorough 
intellectual  training,  with  tleej)  personal  piety  and  absolute  con- 
secration, is  approximately  realized.  A  number  of  Sisters  of  the 
Mary  J.  Orexcl  Home  have  enjoyed  some  of  the  advantages  of 
the  training  given  there. 

THK   LUTHKRAX    DKACONEvSS   ON    AMERICAN 

SOIL. 

The  tirst  attempt  to  transplant  the  Female  Diaconate  to 
America  was  made  by  the  late  Rev.  W.  A.  Passavant,  D.D.,  one 
of  the  noblest  and  greatest  men  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  this 
country.  He  had  visited  Kaiserswert  in  1846.  and  must  have 
impressed  Fliedner  most  favorably,  for  three  years  later  this 
father  of  the  modern  deaconess-work  came  to  this  country  with 
three  Sisters  for  the  hospital  just  founded  by  Dr.  Passavant.  and 
took  active  part  in  the  detlicatory  services  on  July  17,  1849. 
Though  the  growth  of  the  Sisterhood  was  exceedingly  slow,  it  is 
worthy  of  note  that  the  first  American  probationer,  Louise  Mar- 
thens,  wdio  became  a  Sister  in  1850.  remained  true  to  her  calling 
to  the  end  of  her  life.  She  had  been  instructed  and  confirmed  by 
Dr.  Passavatit.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  he  went  with 
two  of  his  Sisters  to  Washington,  where  they  labored  directly 
under  Miss  Dorothy  Dix,  wdio  had  been  authorized  by  the  gov- 
ernment to  organize  and  superintend  a  staff  of  Christian  nurses. 
Pmth  served  with  distinction  and  were  soon  in  charge  of  most 
important  work.  I'.ut  after  all,  the  Sisterhood  did  not  prosper, 
and  finally  was  almost  extinct.  About  a  year  before  his  death 
(  1894).  Dr.  Passavant  made  a  second,  and  this  time  successful, 
attempt  t(^  found  a  Motherhousc  in  connection  with  the  Passa- 
vant Hospital  in  Milwaukee.  Here  the  Rev.  J.  F.  (  )hl,  D.D..  did 
pioneer  work  for  five  years.  The  present  rector,  the  Rev.  Her- 
man L.  Fritschel,  has  been  in  charge  since  1902.  The  ."Sister- 
hood now  has  43  members. 

The  Scandinavians  have  taken  up  the  deaconess-work  with 
vigor  and  success.  The  Norwegians  have  a  Deaconess  Hospital 
in  Brooklyn.  N.  Y..  since  1882,  with  20  Sisters:  a  Deaconess  In- 
stitute at  Minneapolis,  with  19  Sisters,  founded  in  1888;  and  a 
Deaconess  Home  and  Hospital  at  Chicago  >ince  1897,  showing 
a  most  encouraging  growth  and  now  numbering  56  Sisters.  The 
Swedish  Lutherans  have  two  Motherhouses.  Rev.  E.  A,  Fogel- 
strom    founded  the   Immanuel   Deaconess   Institution  at  Omaha. 


12 

Neb.,  in  1888.  and  with  its  assistance  the  Kev.  C.  A.  liultkrans 
opened  the  I5ethesda  iJeaconess  I  Ionic  and  1  lo>i)ital  al  St.  I'aul, 
Minn.,  in  1902.  This  home  rei)orts  20  Sisters,  while  the  former, 
under  its  present  pastor.  1\  M.  Lindherg.  has  35  Sisters.  A 
Danish  pastor,  the  Rev.  V.  Madsen.  Iniilt  a  sanitarium  for  con- 
sumptives at  Brush.  Col.,  in  1903.  in  which  three  Danish  Deacon- 
esses are  at  work  and  which,  it  is  hoi)ed,  will  soon  develop  into 
a  Motherhouse. 

The  General  Synod  has  a  Deaconess  Home  and  Training 
School  in  Baltimore.  Md..  since  1895.  It  is  thus  far  the  only 
Motherhouse  not  directly  connected  with  a  hospital,  but  ])lans 
are  under  way  for  the  erection  of  a  large  building  on  its  excel- 
lently located  and  spacious  grounds,  that  offer  many  possibilities 
in  the  development  of  the  work  along  several  lines.  The  Rev. 
C.  E.  Hay.  D.D..  is  in  charge  of  this  Motherhouse  and  its  28 
Sisters. 

Thus,  including  our  own  Motherhouse.  we  have  in  this  coun- 
try nine  Lutheran  Deaconess  institutions,  with  a  total  of  292 
Sisters;  by  the  investing  of  those  candidates  completing  their 
course  by  Easter.  1908.  the  number  will  exceed  300. 


THE   MARY   J.    DRE.XE.L   HOML 

AND 

Philadelphia   Motherhouse   of   Deaconesses. 


AT   THE   GERMAN    HOSPITAL. 

Not  the  call  oi  the  Church,  hut  the  cryiug  need  of  a  hospital 
was  the  occasiou  for  the  introductiou  of  Lutherau  Deaconesses  in 
I'hiladelphia.  After  repeated  efforts,  prominent  (lernians  of  this 
city  had  in  i860  secured  a  charter  incorporating  the  "German 
llosi)ital  of  the  City  of  Philadeli)hia."  A  suitahle  building  was 
secured  within  a  year,  but  the  United  States  government  used  it 
as  a  military  hospital  during  the  war,  so  that  the  corporation 
could  not  begin  its  real  work  until  the  close  of  1866.  W'iien  in 
iHfyf)  th(5  late  John  D.  Lankenau  was  elected  President  of  the 
ISoard,  that  acti(Mi  was  of  the  most  far  reaching  conse(|uences, 
not  merely  to  the  German  Hospital,  but  also  to  the  Deaconess 
cause  in  this  country.  More  than  a  decade  Mr.  Lankenau  had 
endeavored  in  vain  to  rai.se  the  character  and  spirit  of  the  nursing 
staff,  when  he  gratefully  acce])ted  the  suggestion  to  place  German 
Deaconesses  in  charge  of  the  internal  management.  He  knew 
very  well  that  the  success  of  this  venture  would  depend  on  the  co- 
operation of  the  Church,  and  there ft)re.  in  the  fall  of  1882.  pre- 
vailed upon  the  Poard  of  Directors  to  have  the  charter  amended 
so  that  three  of  its  members  must  be  pastors  in  connection  with 
the  Lutheran  Ministerium  of  Pennsylvania.  The  Revs.  Dr.  \V. 
J.  Mann.  Dr.  A.  Spaeth  and  F.  Wischan  were  the  first  clergymen 
elected.  Thus  the  way  was  opened  for  Lutheran  Deaconesses. 
President  Lankenau.  his  friend,  the  German  Consul  of  this  city, 
Mr.  Chas.  H.  Meyer,  and  even  Consul  Raschdau.  of  New  York, 
endeavored  to  persuade  a  number  oi  the  largest  Motherliouses 
of  Germany  to  send  Sisters  to  the  German  Hospital,  but  their 
combined  eft'orts,  even  a  i)ersonal  visit  of  Consul  Meyer  at  Kais- 
erswert,  failed  absolutely.  At  last.  Pa.stor  C.  Ninck.  of  Ham- 
burg, called  attention  to  a  small  independent  Sisterhood  at  Iser- 
lohn.  who,  after  considerable  correspondence,  consented  to  come 

•  «3) 


Jt)HN    1*.  I.ANKKNAU 
Born  ill  lliciiicii.  March  IS.  1H17  ;  died.il  lMiilacleli>hia  AuKiist  Mi,  VX'l 


15 

til  tlii>  (.iiuntiy.  (  )ii  JuiK-  i<>,  1SS4,  Si^tc-r  Suprrior  Mariu  Kruc- 
j,aT  arrivfil  in  rhilaWflphia  with  Nix  otluT  Si>tcTN.  of  wlmm  three, 
Sister  Maj^dak-iie  vmi  I'.racht.  Sister  \\  ilhelinine  Dittinanii  and 
Sister  Marianne  Kraetzer.  are  still  with  us  and  in  charge  of 
important  work,  ihc  early  period  of  their  labors  in  the  hospital 
hrought  many  severe  trials,  esjjecially  as  the  true  purpose  of 
deaconess-service  was  not  at  all  uuflerstood  and,  as  might  he  ex- 
pected, because  some  employed  in  the  work  of  the  hospital  thu> 
far  were  unwilling  to  submit  to  the  authority  now  vested  in  the 
Sisters.  P.ut  bather  Lankenau  was  their  staunch  friend  and  sup- 
porter, always  grateful  for  suggestions  made  by  the  Sisters  and 
by  the  clerical  members  of  the  lioard.  After  the  unavoidable 
changes  had  been  made,  and  the  deaconesses  were  firmly  estab- 
lished, the  hospital  reachcfl  and  still  holds  a  degree  of  excellence 
In  management  and  nursing  hardly  e(|ualled  by  any  other  hospital 
in  tile  c\lv. 

MR.  LANKENAU'S  MUNIFICENCE. 

In  February,  1885,  the  1 'resident  ai)i)ointed  a  special  Dea- 
coness Cpmmittce  consisting  of  himself  as  president  and  treas- 
urer;-Consul  Meyer  as  secretarv :  Rev.  W.  J.  Mann.  D.D. ;  Rev. 
A.  Spaeth.  D.D.;  Rev.  F.  Wischan,  Mr.  J.  C.  File,  Mr.  J.  II. 
Tilge.  Mr.  (i.  .\.  Schwarz  and  Sister  Superior  Marie  Krueger, 
to  further  the  special  interests  of  the  Deaconess-work.  This 
committee  was  soon  convinced  that  the  development  and  per- 
manency of  the  Sisterhood  demanded  the  establishment  of  a 
regular  Alothcrhouse.  As  Mr.  Lankenau  had  already  plannefl 
t;»  build  a  1  lome  for  the  Aged  in  memory  of  his  departed  wife. 
Mary  loanna,  nee  Drcxcl,  he  coml)ined  both  ideas  and  erected 
on  the  spacious  grounds  he  had  bought  for  the  German  IIos- 
]>ital.  opposite  Girard  College,  the  "Mary  J.  Drexel  Home  and 
I'hiladelpliia  Motherhouse  of  Deaconesses."  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  Motherhouses  ever  built.  The  ground  was  broken  ."Sep- 
tember 20,  i88('),  the  cornerstone  was  laid  by  Mr.  Lankenau  him- 
self with  appropriate  ceremonies  on  November  li,  and  on  the 
6th  of  December,  1888,  the  magnificent  building,  completely  fur- 
nished, was  turned  over  to  the  Fioard  of  Trustees  of  the  Mother- 
house  by  Mr.  Lankenau.  who  at  the  same  time  promised  to  make 
provision  for  its  future  maintenance  and  support.  .\t  the  dedi- 
catory services  lieM  in  the  l)eautiful  chapel,  the  new  rector,  the 
Rev.  A.  Cordes,  who  had  already  entered  the  work  on  August 
7,  was  formally  installed  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Spaeth,  the  faithful 
past(^r  of  the  Sisters  up  to  the  arrival  of  their  own  rector.  On 
that  day  the  Sisterhood  consisted  of  eight  consecrated  Deacon- 


i6 

esses  and  15  ])r()I)ati()iK"rs,  besides  five  others  in  training  for  the 
S\ve(Hsh  Motherhouse  at  Omaha.  Xeh.  The  first  Sister  Superior 
did  not  hve  to  see  this  day ;  she  (Hed  on  the  30th  of  November, 
1887.  and  had  on  May  26.  1888,  been  succeeded  by  Wanda  von 
Oertzen,  a  woman  of  rare  abihty.  Meanwhile,  the  new  institu- 
tion had  also  been  i)laci'd  under  the  management  of  a  separate 
corporation,  independent  of  the  German  Hospital  Board,  three 
members  of  which  must,  however,  be  elected  members  of  the 
Drexel  Home  Board,  as  both  institutions  are  to  co-o])erate  in  the 
common  cause  of  suffering  humanity.  During  his  lifetime,  Mr. 
John  D.  Lankenau  remained  President  of  both  institutions,  spend- 
ing all  his  time  and  devoting  all  his  wealth  to  the  interests  of  both 
alike.  Bereft  of  wife  and  children,  he  became  a  father  indeed 
to  the  Sisters,  sparing  neither  effort  nor  money  to  make  life 
pleasant  for  them  in  the  midst  of  their  labors.  To  this  end  he 
also  built  for  them  the  large  and  thoroughly  equipped  "\'illa 
Lankenau,"  at  Cape  May  Point,  X.  J.,  that  our  Sisters  may  spend 
at  least  a  part  of  their  annual  vacation  at  the  seashore.  When  he 
closed  his  long  and  blessed  life  at  the  age  of  84  and  w^as  called 
hence  by  the  Lord  on  the  30th  day  of  August,  1901,  Mr.  Lan- 
kenau was  sincerely  mourned  by  the  Sisters,  by  his  co-laborers 
and  by  all  who  had  the  privilege  of  knowing  him.  The  German 
Hospital  and  the  Mary  J.  Drexel  Home  and  Motherhouse  of 
Deaconesses  were  his  sole  heirs,  enabling  the  latter  thus  far  to 
carry  on  this  work  of  mercy  without  the  financial  aid  of  the 
Church  or  of  the  general  public.  Should  the  development  of  the 
work  in  future  force  us  to  incur  expenses  beyond  our  present 
revenue,  we  are  confident  the  Church  will  appreciate  the  blessing 
going  forth  from  our  institution  and  will  render  all  assistance 
necessary. 

THOSE   IX   CHARGE. 

During  the  rectorate  of  Pastor  Cordes,  the  broad  foundations 
were  laid  for  the  healthful  growth  of  the  Motherhouse.  The 
Home  for  the  Aged,  planned  by  Mr.  Lankenau  from  tlic  begin- 
ning, receivetl  its  first  inmates  in  1889.  A  Cliildren's  Hospital 
was  o])ened  (tn  May  15,  1889,  a  Girls'  School  on  Se])teml)er  i(), 
i<S<;o,  and  a  Kindergarten  in  October,  i8(>3,  all  under  the  one  roof 
of  the  Motherhouse.  lUit  to  the  regret  of  the  .Sisters  and  friends 
of  the  Home,  Rector  Cordes  returned  to  Germany  in  \X<)2.  The 
Rev.  .\.  Blum,  who  had  been  his  able  assistant  for  more  than  a 
year,  remained  in  charge  until  the  Rev.  Carl  (^oedel  arriwd  on 
July  4,  181^3,  who  successfully  introduced  the  Kindergarten  and 
was  the  ])romoter   of  the   "Conference   of   Lutheran    Deaconess 


II()U>>fs  ill  AiiKiKa,  i)rj;;iiiizc<l  iii  .Scpu-iiihcr,  li<tjh.  l>uriiij^  \w> 
time  the  Sisterhood  grew  from  36  to  70.  Uut  he  longed  to  re- 
turn to  the  P'atherlatid,  and  resij^ned  in  the  Spring  of  i(/y»,  leav- 
inj^  this  country  on  the  follow  inj^  21st  of  July.  Since  Auj^ust  I. 
i()n(),  the  Rev.  ICrnst  I'.  I'.achmann  has  Ix-en  the  jjastor  of  the 
Motherhou^e.  The  jjresent  Sister  Superior  is  Sister  Maj^dalene 
Steinmann.  who  was  inducted  into  her  office  on  Whitsunday, 
n;oi.  Mr.  Lankenau's  able  successor  as  President  is  His  Honor. 
|uil;L(e  William  11.  Staake.  at  all  times  closely  identified  with  the 
W(»rk  (»f  the  Lutheran  Church.  es])ecially  as  Treasurer  of  the 
(leneral  Council.  His  wise  manaf^^emeiit  made  is  ])ossihlc  for  our 
Motherliouse  to  purchase  in  March,  i^o*^.  the  larj^e  tri-an}.(ular 
tract  of  land,  with  buildings,  directly  west  of  us.  now  use<l  a>  an 
asylum  for  girls ;  after  some  changes  this  will  be  most  admirably 
suited  for  the  purposes  of  our  schools,  making  all  desirable  de- 
velopment possible  from  the  Kindergarten  to  the  .\cademic  De- 
partment. 

NEEDED -MORE   SISTERS. 

\\  e^now  have  nine  teaching  Sisters,  seven  in  the  (iirls'  School 
(assisted  by  several  salaried  teachers),  and  two  in  the  Kinder- 
garten. Within  the  next  twt)  years  our  teaching  force  must  be 
materially  increased.  Auioiuj  the  many  yoiiiu/  T».'<>/;/t';/  of  our 
LiitlicriDi  i'luirch  who  arc  i/radtiatcs  from  normal  schools  and 
collcacs.  arc  there  not  some  able  and  willing  to  consecrate  their 
talents  to  the  Lord  in  this  s{^ccial  scr-rice/  At  this  writing  our 
Sisterhood  has  50  consecrated  deaconesses  and  18  probationers. 
Three  candidates  arc  just  completing  the  regular  theoretical 
course,  and  several  others  have  been  accepted  for  the  next  class. 
While  this  is  encouraging,  it  does  not  meet  the  ever-increasing 
demands.  These  lines  bring  directly  home  to  many  of  the  young 
women  reading  them,  the  Lord's  (juestion  and  command:  "Why 
-Stand  ye  here  all  the  day  idle?  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard  and 
whatsoever  is  right,  that  shall  ye  receive."  The  Lord  and  His 
Church  hath  nee<]  of  them. 


OUR   WORK. 

1  IiL'  field  tor  llic  I'duak-  Diacoiialc  i>  a>  hroail  a>  >anctific(.l 
Innnaii  sympathy.  Xotliiiig  t<>  onmtcract  sin  an<l  suffering  is 
outside  of  the  sphere  of  the  Deaconess,  except  puhhc  i)reachin{^. 
Her  possibiHties  are  practically  unlimited,  from  assisting  in  the 
kitchen  tt)  the  managing  of  a  hospital  or  a  ladies'  seminary.  This 
makes  it  possible  to  develop  and  employ  almost  every  talent  of 
any  truly  consecrated  and  willing  woman.  A  brief  survey  of  our 
work  will  prove  that. 

IX    tup:    MOTHERHOl'SK. 

in  our  si)acious  Motherhou.se  we  have  the  Home  for  the 
Aged,  providing  for  about  40  men  and  women,  under  the  super- 
vision of  a  Sister.  Our  Children's  Hospital,  with  a  daily  number 
of  35-45,  has  treated  more  than  7500  patients.  The  .School  for 
Girls'has  at  present  8r  pupils  in  ten  classes,  (ireat  things  may 
be  expected  under  (iod's  blessing,  when  this  school  will  have 
been  moved  to  the  newly-ac(iuired  property,  where  we  will  have 
room  for  at  least  200  pupils  and  students.  Our  Kindergarten 
has  about  75  pupils  enrolled,  and  of  late  years  has  connected  with 
it  a  training  school  for  Kindergarten  teachers. 

AT    THIv    HOSPITALS. 

Most  of  our  work  is,  of  course,  outside  of  the  Mothcrhouse 
The  German  Hospital  needs  most  of  our  Sisters.  \\  hen  you 
consider  that  about  3500  i)atients  are  admitted  annually  and 
more  than  48.000  visits  are  made  to  its  dispensaries  by  others 
unable  to  pay  the  fee  of  a  regular  physician,  add  the  almost  i  i.ooo 
calls  a  year  made  at  the  dispensary  of  our  Children's  Hospital, 
and  you  have  some  conception  of  the  vast  amount  of  suffering  our 
Sisters  help  to  relieve.  The  Easton  I  lospital,  at  Easton.  Pa.,  is 
also  in  charge  of  our  Sisters,  who  reported  y^^  patients  last  year; 
here  the  number  of  serious  accident  cases  is  exceptionally  large. 
At  Allegheny,  Pa.,  our  Sisters  at  the  St.  John's  General  Hospital 
nursed  1321  patients.  A  Home  for  the  .\ged  and  an  C)ri)hans' 
Home  at  Mars,  Pa.,  belonging  to  the  Joint  Synod  of  Ohio,  is 
another  of  our  imjiortant  stations, 

( 19) 


20 

PARIvSH   SISTERS. 

Pari>h-\\t>rk  has  always  been  considered  the  crown  and  glory 
of  the  l^'eniale  Diaconate.  To  our  own  sorrow  and  to  the  dis- 
appointment of  pastors  and  congregations,  we  have  been  forced 
bv  the  lack  of  Sisters  to  refuse  numerous  requests  for  workers 
in  this  sphere.  Thus  far  we  have  been  able  to  spare  only  six 
Sisters  for  such  work,  and  now  have  Deaconesses  at  Zion's,  St. 
Johannis  and  English  St.  John's  church  in  Philadelphia;  at 
Zion's  and  St.  John's  in  Easton,  Pa.,  and  at  St.  Paul's  in  New 
York  City.  ]\lany  other  congregations  are  anxious  to  secure  the 
services  of  a  well-trained  Deaconess.  Most  of  our  Sisters  are 
glad  to  take  u])  such  work,  though  it  is  by  no  means  a  small  task 
to  teach  a  Kindergarten  in  the  forenoon  or  other  classes  in  the 
afternoon  and  emi)loy  the  other  half-day  in  visiting  the  aged, 
the  inhrm.  the  destitute,  the  sick,  and  do  them  any  service  nec- 
essary, in  emergency  remaining  with  the  >ick  oven  over  night. 
Altogether  a  Sister  makes  perhai)s  one  tiiousand  calls  a  year,  be- 
sides attending  the  meeting  of  parish  organizations  and  ])robably 
even  teaching  a  class  in  Sunday-school.  Any  one  will  see  at  a 
glance  what  an  aid  such  a  Sister  is  to  the  busy  city  pastor. 

NEW    FIELDS. 

Tw(t  new  fields  nf  emine-nt  usefuhKss  were  entered  in  1907. 
In  January  our  Sister  at  St.  John's.  Philadelphia,  could  move 
into  the  Luther  Settlement  llnuse.  conducted  by  the  Inner  Mis- 
sion Society,  for  the  ])ur])()se  of  bringing  Christian  influence  to 
bear  on  the  unchurched  children  of  the  neighl«)rh()od.  She  is  at 
the  head  of  the  resident  family  of  workers,  and  with  the  noble 
co-ojjeration  of  a  large  volunteer  force,  has  been  able  to  wield 
an  excellent  inHuence  on  the  more  than  one  hundred  l)ovs  and 
girls  enrolled  in  the  regular  evening  classes. 

The  other  tield  i->  the  Kensington  Dispensary  for  the  Treat- 
ment of  Tuberculosis,  b'rom  its  very  inception  one  of  our  Sis- 
ter^  has  been  connected  with  that  work,  doing  what  she  could 
while  still  a  parish  Sister  in  a  neighboring  congregation;  but 
since  Eebruary.  Kjoy.  she  is  assigned  to  this  work  exclusively. 
Within  the  six  months  ])receding  this  writing,  the  number  of 
patients  treated  at  this  dispensary  has  increased  from  ()T,  to 
exactly  163.  with  e\ery  indication  of  ct)ntinuing  growth.  This 
proves  the  sad  necessity  for  such  work  in  this  densely  ])opulated 
f.';ctory  district,  but  also  the  possibilities  o])en  to  a  trulv  conse- 
crated .^i-<ter.     If  phy-icians  can  be  found  to  treat  i)atients  suffer- 


ing  with  this  (head  thscas*--,  why  shouK)  a  Christian  woman  shrink 
from  assistinj^?     kc'a<l  Matthew   i6  :  25  and  2^   :  40. 


This  wide  scope  of  our  work  is  an  evident  advantage  to  the 
Motherhouse  and  to  the  Sisters,  whose  special  talents  may  thus 
he  utihzed.  As  a  rule,  assignment  to  preferred  work  is  not  to  be 
expected  during  the  years  of  training,  unless  the  candidate  comes 
to  us  as  a  specialist  in  nursing,  in  teaching  or  in  music,  in  which 
case  this  sj)ecial  ability  will  receive  all  possible  consideration. 


DL5IRABLE,   CANDIDATES. 


TRYING   SERVICE. 

Xot  all  a])plicants  are  desirable  candidates.  We  have  no  room 
f<:)r  vague  dreamers  and  mere  sentimentalists,  though  they  be  of 
a  religious  turn  of  mind ;  our  work  would  awaken  them  to  bitter 
disappointment.  We  cannot  admit  women  who  have  been  fail- 
ures in  everything  they  ever  tried  and,  as  a  last  resort,  are  willing 
to  make  a  final  experiment  with  the  Diaconate.  Xor  do  we  desire 
those  who  are  tired  of  their  ])resent  work,  and  would  turn  to  us 
for  a  change  and,  incidentally,  a  home.  These  and  similar  con- 
siderations can  never  grant  the  strength  and  cheerfulness  re- 
quired in  this  often  arduous  service :  the  novelty  will  sckiu  wear 
of^'  and  make  it  appear  mere  drudgery  to  all  except  such  wlio. 
as  Mary  of  old.  are  ready  to  pour  their  costliest  ointment  even 
over  the  feet  of  Jesus,  /.  c,  to  serve  with  their  best  gifts  even  the 
humblest  and  lowest  members  of  Christ.  These  only  can  be 
gentle  with  an  unruly  patient,  or  bear  with  the  odd  whims  of 
the  aged,  or  pray  for  an  obstinate  i)U])il.  Even  our  best  Sisters 
cannot  do  this  without  crying  constantly  to  the  Lord  for  strength. 
But  these  very  difficulties  are  the  means  oi  develoi)ing  true  Chris- 
tian character  to  a  degree  elsewhere  rarely  possible. 


23 

A    Ilir.II    STANDARD. 

IX'sirabk'  candidate  arc  single  young  wonicii  or  chili  Hess 
\vi»l«t\vs.  between  iS  and  36  years  of  age,  free  from  direct  obli- 
gations to  their  families.  The  parents'  written  consent  is  neces- 
>ary.  Were  we  to  disregard  tliis  rule,  we  would  have  more  Sis- 
ters, but  less  blessing,  for  "obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice." 
Should  the  parents  at  any  time  absolutely  need  their  daughter, 
though  already  a  consecrated  Deaconess,  she  is  free  to  return  t(j 
them,  either  for  temporary  service  in  case  of  illness,  rjr,  if  circum- 
>tances  deniand  it,  permanently.  I'arents  should  exercise  this 
power  in  the  fear  of  (iod,  however,  realizing  that  they  arc  re- 
sponsible to  (lod  Jlimself  for  their  decision.  We  have  learned 
(jf  instances  where  parental  objection  has  prevented  young  women 
from  entering  this  calling  and  has  made  them  unhappy  for  the 
remainder  of  their  life.  Such  objections  are  hardly  justifiable 
in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  Sisters  receive  a  most  thorough  relig- 
ious and  generally  also  professional  training,  and  are  better  pro- 
vided for  in  sickness  and  in  the  infirmities  of  age  than  in  almost 
any  other  position  in  life. 

A  common  school  training  is  sufficient,  but  a  higher  educa- 
tion is  an  advantage.  \\  illingness  and  ability  to  learn  are  essen- 
tial ;  these  will,  with  the  educational  atWantages  offered  here, 
soon  overcome  the  deficiencies  of  former  training.  The  reputa- 
tion of  a  candidate  nuist  be  imblemished  anti  her  character  above 
rejjroach.  In  her  (lisj)osition  the  candidate  should  be  unassum- 
ing, modest,  cheerful,  willing  to  bear  with  others  and  an.\iou> 
to  burden  no  one,  ready  to  serve  others,  but  asking  no  favors  for 
herself,  (iood  health  and  power  of  enilurance  are  as  necessary 
to  this  end  as  truly  Christian  sentiments. 

( )ur  Motherhouse  is  Lutheran  and  can  admit  only  such  can- 
didates as  are  communicants  of  the  Lutheran  Church  and  mem- 
bers in  good  standing  of  some  Lutheran  congregation.  E.xcep- 
tirjns  can  be  made  only  in  case  a  candidate  has  a  sincere  desire 
to  join  the  Lutheran  Cluirch  indepen<lent  of  her  relation  to  our 
Motherhouse. 

THIC   SOLRCK   OF   STRKXC.TH. 

l-'inally.  the  motive  for  entering  this  noble  work  must  be  grate- 
ful love  to  the  Saviour  and  the  desire  to  serve  Him  under  the 
guidance  and  directions  of  our  Motherhouse.  ."^elfish  interests 
will  be  a  source  of  constant  trouble.  Though  hidden,  they  are 
like  the  clay  and  iron  feet  of  Xebucadnezzer's  glorious  image 
(  Dan.  2).  a  miserable  and  dangerous  foundation  to  a  magnificent 


24 

superstructure,  unable  to  w'thstand  the  shock  that  will  surely 
come  S(-oner  or  later.  \\  hile  we  do  not  expect  a  candidate  to  be 
perfect  in  this  or  any  other  respect,  we  do  expect  her  to  honestly 
and  persistently  strive  to  attain  perfection.  St.  Paul  is  our 
exani]>le,  with  his  noble  confession,  Phil.  3  :  7-15;  and  Christ 
Himself  the  source  of  our  strength.  John  15  :  1-13.  These  pas- 
sages are  well  worth  memorizing  and  should  be  the  basis  of  fre- 
quent meditation. 

The  Word  of  ( iod  as  read  every  da}'  in  connection  with  our 
family  worship  at  the  breakfast  table,  at  the  X'esper  service  in 
the  Chai)el.  and  in  the  quiet  half-hour  during  the  day.  will  not 
fail  to  prove  its  power  to  the  spiritual  advancement  of  the  devout. 
Our  Sunday  services.  German  in  the  morning  and  English  in  the 
evening,  endeavor  to  meet  the  requirements  of  all.  while  the 
weekly  iJible  study  and  the  monthly  "Diakonie-P)etstundc"  lay 
the  emphasis  on  the  special  needs  of  the  Sisters.  In  this  way, 
and  by  frequent  communion  services,  the  Means  of  Grace  are 
offered  as  fully  as  only  institutional  life  can  make  it  possible,  for 
a  better  self  knowledge,  for  a  stronger  faith,  an  ever  i)urer  motive 
of  service  and  for  a  closer  walk  with  God. 


THL   COURSE,   OF  TRAINING. 


IN   THE   CLASS-ROOM. 

(  )n  entering  the  .Motlierhouse.  ])referahly  between  Ma}-  I  and 
October  1.  the  candidates  are  placed  in  charge  of  the  Training 
Sister  (  Probe-Meisterin  ).  who  though  their  immediate  supericjr, 
is  much  more  their  teacher,  friend  and  constant  adviser.  She  is 
a  Sister  of  good  judgment  and  mature  character,  attending  con- 
stantly to  the  welfare  of  her  class.  The  candidates  may  be  as- 
signed to  practical  work  at  once,  but  during  the  course  of  instruc- 
tion assist  onl}  in  the  morning  until  10  o'chx^k.  .\fter  a  quiet 
half-hour  for  devotion  in  the  cha])el,  the  class-work  begins  at 
I  I  and  continues  until  5  o'clock,  with  an  hour's  intermission  for 
dinner.      Tlie  evening  is  devoted  to  prepaj'ation  for  tlie  next  day's 


25 

classes.  Wednesday  afternoon  i>  j^iven  to  recreation.  I'lie  pur- 
pose of  the  course  is  twofold,  intellectual  traininj^  and  deepening 
of  spiritual  life.  If  necessary,  even  the  elementary  brancho, 
reading,  writing  and  arithmetic,  are  reviewed,  the  la>t  inclu'ling 
a  simple  system  of  bookkeeping;  ( ierman  and  ICnglish  grammar 
are  taught,  a>^  also  geography,  history,  and  the  rudiments  of  ana- 
tcmy  and  physiology.  The  religious  subjects  include  Luther's 
Catechism,  llible  history.  Church  iiistory.  15ible  studv.  the  Doc- 
trines of  the  Church,  and  an  outline  of  the  work  and  development 
of  the  Diaconatc.  Memorizing  hymn<  and  passages  from  the 
Scriptures  is  also  very  imjjortant.  The  course  begins  in  October 
and  is  concluded  with  an  e.xamination  on  the  Wednesday  of  Holy 
Week.  The  candidates  are  then  invested.  /'.  c,  they  receive  the 
Sisters'  garb  at  a  sim])le  service,  at  the  same  time  promising  (»bedi- 
ence  to  the  I'astor  and  the  Sister  Superi(jr  (Oberini.  and  the  ol)- 
servance  of  the  general  rules  of  the  house.  Xcnv  they  are  "Proba- 
tioners." ready  to  have  their  fitness  for  the  Female  Diaconatc 
tested  by  actual  service.  Thus  the  "Course"  (  Kursus  )  is  merely 
of  a  pre])aratory  character.  (|uickening  their  intellectual  powers 
and  their  spiritual  life   for  the  severer  tests  that   follow. 

A    PERIOD   OF    PROBATION. 

Each  ])robationer  is  now  assigned  to  some  specific  work  under 
the  sujiervi.sion  of  an  experienced  deaconess,  preferably  in  the 
hosijital,  as  no  other  form  of  work  demands  such  close  attention 
and  gives  such  varied  experience.  She  works  side  by  side  with 
the  pupils  of  the  Nurses'  Training  School  of  the  (ierman  Hos- 
pital, and  with  these  attends  the  lectures  given  by  the  doctors. 
While  the  nurses  graduate  at  the  end  o-'  their  three  years*  course, 
the  probationer  continues  at  the  hospital,  constantly  rising  by  her 
exi)erience  until  she  herself  becomes  qualified  t(j  take  charge  of 
stations  and  to  train  others.  Should  she  be  more  gifted  for  other 
work,  or  even  prove  inefficient  for  nursing,  some  other  sphere 
of  usefulness  will  be  found  for  her.  Deaconesses  are  taught  the 
truly  Christian  principle  that  no  work  is  low  and  degrading:  all 
is  honorable,  as  Lohe  is  said  to  have  so  beautifully  expressed  it: 
"If  ( iod  should  send  two  angels  to  earth,  one  to  rule  a  citv.  the 
other  to  sweep  the  streets,  both  would  ol)ey  with  ecjual  cheerful- 
ness, recognizing  their  work  to  be  of  ultimate  equal  importance." 
Jesus  was  a  carpenter  (Mark  6:3^:  how  then  dare  a  Christian 
shrink  from  any  form  of  manual  labor  as  menial?  During  these 
years  of  probation  the  Sisters  gather  once  or  twice  a  week  for 
further  instruction  liy  the  I'astor  or  the  Sister  Superior,  as  also 
for  s])ecial   llible  study,  except  during  the  Summer. 


THE    COXSKCRATED    DICACOXKSS. 

In  the  cuursc  of  tivc  or  six  \car.s  the  prohatioiicr.  as  well  as 
her  superiors,  have  conie  to  quite  definite  conclusions  as  to  her 
w  iilingness  or  fitness  to  make  the  Uiaconate  her  life-work.  Those 
not  yet  ready  to  decide,  may  wait  one  or  more  years  longer;  the 
others  are  received  into  the  Sisterhood  by  consecration,  usually 
at  I'entecost.  (Jne  week  previous  they  enter  a  special  ccnirse  of 
instructicMi  and  meditation,  all  centering;  in  the  WOrd  of  God.  The 
service  of  consecration  is  most  impressive,  but  the  Sisters  even 
now  take  no  vow  binding  them  for  life,  but  most  solemnly 
promise  to  faithfully  serve  the  Lord  and  submit  to  the  directions 
of  the  Motherhouse.  This  latter  promise  is  necessary  to  assure 
the  successful  working  of  the  institution.  No  army,  no  force  of 
workmen,  no  business  house  can  succeed  without  obedience  to 
those  in  authority.  Diso])edience  was  the  first  sin ;  obedience  is 
the  keynote  of  the  life  of  our  Saviour  (Phil.  2:8),  and  must  be 
that  of  all  w'ho  would  follow  and  serve  Him.  The  obedience 
asked  and  the  work  expected  of  a  Deaconess  never  exceed  the 
absolute  necessity  of  the  case  and  are  not  more  exacting  than  in 
most  other  useful  walks  of  life.  We  must  not  overlook  the  fact 
that  the  deaconess  is  the  "daughter"  of  her  Motherhouse,  and 
while  she  is  expected  to  serve  wherever  she  may  be  needed,  she 
has  the  assurance  that  she  is  provided  for  under  all  circumstances. 
Worries  caused  by  sickness  or  advancing  age  have  as  little  place 
in  her  life  as  those  of  her  dress.  She  wears  the  garb  adopted 
by  her  Motherhouse,  in  nur  case  quite  similar  t(^  that  plain  and 
becoming  style  worn  by  townswomen  in  Northern  Germany  at 
the  time  the  Female  Diaconate  was  revived  by  Fliedner.  Thus 
she  is  free  to  give  her  entire  attention  to  tlie  service  of  her 
fellowmen  and  to  the  develo])ment  of  her  own  spiriual  life.  Her 
quarterly  allowance  of  "pin  money"  is  sufficient  to  cover  all  her 
incidental  expenses,  and  generally  enables  her  to  lay  a  little  asi<le 
for  her  next  vacation.  If  her  per.sonal  interests  make  a  long  and 
expensive  journey  necessary,  the  Motherhouse  will  aid  to  make 
that  possible.  Her  life  is  by  no  means  as  monotonous  as  some 
surmise.  She  shares  the  joys  as  well  as  the  work  of  the  ^lother- 
housc.  and  by  the  Grace  of  God  may  be  S(^  happy  in  her  calling 
tliat  the  thought  of  leaving  the  Sisterhood  will  never  seriously 
enter  her  mind.  She  realizes  her  greater  opportunities  for  useful 
service  as  for  s])iritual  growth.  She  knows  her  life  is  of  real 
value  to  f)thers  and  is  not  wasted  in  trivial  aflfairs.  useless  if  not 
actually  harmful.  .She  is  in  the  world,  but  not  of  the  world.  'S'et 
she  docs  not  consider  herself  more  holy  than  other  Christian 
women,  but  looks  for  her  salvation  to  Tesus  Christ  onlv.     (irate- 


27 

fill  lor  lli^  riikcmiii}^  \i>\\,  >\k-  consecrates  herself  to  His  ser- 
vice as  lii>  handmaid,  read)'  to  die-  fr»r  Him  if  needs  he.  She 
looks  for  no  },'reater  reward  than  that  the  Lord  might  approve  of 
her  service,  with  the  -^iniple  word:  ""She  hatli  done  what  she 
conld." 


DIRLCTION5   FOR   APPLICANTS. 

Any  young  woman  doiring  to  apply  for  a<lmis.>ion  to  our 
Sisterh<jo(l.  should  calmly  and  |)rayerfully  consider  the  difficulties 
as  well  as  the  greater  possiI)ilitie>  of  the  Dcacone>>  calling,  and 
ask  the  Lord  for  light  and  guidance.  H  convinced  of  the  single- 
ness of  her  i)urpose  to  serve  the  Lord  in  this  important  si)here, 
she  should  write  to  the  Mary  J.  Drexel  Home.  2100  South  Col- 
lege avenue.  Philadelphia.  I'a.,  stating  her  intention  and  her  prob- 
ahility  of  meeting  the  necessary  re(|uirements.  She  will  then  he 
informed  when  to  forward  the  following  ])apers:  i.  .\  sketch  of 
her  life,  written  by  herself;  2.  .\  certified  copy  of  the  record  of 
her  liaptism  and  confirmation :  3.  The  written  consent  of  her 
parents., or  if  a  minor,  of  her  guardian;  4.  A  certificate  of  good 
health  from  her  physician;  5.  A  separately  sealed  testimonial 
from  her  pastor.  If  these  pai)ers  are  approved,  she  will  receive 
notice  a>  to  the  time  she  mav  enter. 


T'Ott- 


1  1012  01233  0926 


DATE  DUE 

(7^^ 

•<:...... 

GAYLORD           #3523PI        Printed  in  USA 

diaconate  issued  by  the 


